The simmering debate about ownership of attack helicopters reached a precipitation point during March last year with the Defence Minister announcing that the ownership of future inductions of attack helicopters will vest with the Army. Meanwhile, HAL's Rudra has received its initial operational clearance and is projected as the first armed helicopter being produced indigenously in India for a wide range of missions, including reconnaissance, anti-tank warfare and close air support. Development of the Rudra variant was authorised in December 1998 and a prototype made its first flight in August 2007. It completed 20mm turreted gun firing trials in September 2011 as well as Mistral air-to-air missiles and 70mm rockets tests in November 2011. Mistral is an infrared homing missile which is capable of striking targets within a range of 6.5 km. The maximum take-off weight of the helicopter is 5,500 kg and it can carry a payload of 2,600 kg. The Rudra can be fitted with up to eight Helina (Helicopter Launched Nag) anti-tank guided missiles, four MBDA Mistral short-range air-to-air missiles or four rocket pods for 68mm/70mm rockets. HAL was committed to deliver 76 Rudra ALH Mk-IV helicopters for the Indian Army and the IAF, and has handed over the first platform to the Indian Army in February 2013. The IAF is looking forward to the Rudra for high altitude operations, as no country makes attack helicopters for high altitude operations as foreseeable in the Indian context.
